Woodbury FFA Member Wins National Award

Ryan Daddio of Beacon Falls, member of the Woodbury FFA, or For the Future of Agriculture, Chapter at the Ellis Clark Regional Agriscience and Technology Program at Nonnewaug High School, is a national finalist in the the National FFA Proficiency Award Program, according to Bill Davenport, director of the Agriscience Program.

Daddio, who recently graduated from Nonnewaug in June, was named the state winner for his Supervised Agricultural Experience project in nursery operations.

He is one of only four students in the entire country to earn this honor in nursery operations, according to Davenport. Daddio will travel to Indianapolis, Ind. this October to attend the 84^th National FFA Convention and will be interviewed by horticulture industry professionals, along with the other three national finalists in his area of nursery operations, to determine the overall national winner.

In recognition of being named a national finalist, Daddio will receive a plaque and $300. If he is chosen as the national winner in Indianapolis later this fall, he will receive an additional $500 during a special ceremony taking place during the National FFA Convention, said Davenport.

Daddio's multi-faceted work experience project consisted of working at Ace Begonias in Woodbridge as a greenhouse worker for the past four years.

Daddio has also been breeding and raising more than 20 different varieties of orchids and several African violets at home.

During the past two summers, he has worked at Rutgers University’s Turfgrass Research Farm in New Jersey as a research assistant. His responsibilities at Rutgers include grading turf plots where new progenies are grown under varying conditions, as well as collecting, drying and weighing seed from new progenies being produced.

Daddio will attend Rutgers School of Environmental and Biological Sciences, majoring in plant breeding and genetics and plant biotechnology.

Davenport said that because of Daddio's work ethic and genuine interest he showed during his first summer of internship at Rutgers last summer, he was awarded a $5,000 scholarship from Rutgers.

Daddio compiled four years of records and business information concerning his project and filled out the 20-page FFA Proficiency Award application.

Daddio was joined by 13 other Woodbury FFA members last spring to be named state winners for outstanding Supervised Agricultural Experience projects.

The students were recently judged at the national level.

Margaret Gerowe of Woodbury received a silver medal in environmental science.

Katherine Wade of Woodbury received a gold medal in home and community development.

Andrew Zielinski of Bethany received a gold medal in diversified horticulture.

Rebecca Beyer of Naugatuck received a bronze medal in small animal care.

Felice Martin of New Milford received a gold medal in diversified crop production.

Riva Martin of New Milford received a bronze medal in fruit production.

Courtney Ireland of New Milford received a silver medal in veterinary science.

Megan Pantaleo of Oxford received a silver medal in agricultural education.

Mary McCart of Seymour received a silver medal in vegetable production.

Taylor Carey of Sherman received a bronze medal in agricultural mechanics.

Krystina Mancini of Watertown received a silver medal in floriculture.

Kevin Proe of Watertown received a gold medal in landscape development.

Alycia Fulton of Watertown received a bronze medal in agricultural services.